Beneath Moonlight
by Black Rose Crystal
Summary: After being expelled from her old school Aika Nishimura finds herself at Karasuno high and meets the resident volleyball team. She hoped to make some friends at the school, she wasn't expecting to catch the eye of a tall blond nor to cause trouble between teams.
1. chapter 1

Beneath Moonlight

Black Rose Crystal: This is is my first Haikyuu story so please read and review. Let me know if Aika seems too Mary Sueish

Chapter one: New girl in School

Aika was dreading her first day of school when she got up that morning. Her new bedroom was dark and sparsely decorated save for the packed book shelves, pictures from home and her desk. Boxes lined the small room's walls, since her furniture had yet to arrive. The only light came from the salt rock lamp that sat near her futon, its light shone on the uniform she dreaded putting on.

"Get up Ai! Breakfast will be ready soon!" Her grandmother called from downstairs. She could smell eggs cooking and sighed as she stood up to walk to the window. She opened the curtains and slid the hood of her shirt up, missing the glance her new window neighbor shot her way.

She really should have been used to the stares that she received by now. Ever since Aika Nishimura had gotten off the plane in Japan, she could feel the people staring at her brown skin and the tangle of auburn curls that bounced down her back. Though she had tried to push back the unruly strands with a ribbon that morning while getting dressed, the curls strained against her ponytail holder and fell into her face. Even though Aika was half Japanese, she still looked African- American and no matter how perfect her Japanese was from her childhood in Japan she would always be… the other. She supposed that was partially the fault of her personality in some ways. That didn't mean that the stares didn't make her skin crawl as if their gazes had fingers that groped at her skin.

The incident that caused her to move began when another fight ended with the blood of a broken nose staining her knuckles and the victory of a pervert's broken arm; Aika's father had decided that enough was enough and sent her to live with his strict mother with the hope that the girl could be straightened out. Her mother , the person who had taught her karate in the first place, had agreed with her daughter's decision to fight the person harassing her but wasn't as thrilled about the ending move as Aika was.

"Yes some people need to be punished but you can not fight every battle no matter how much they deserve it. Sometimes you need protection as well. Which the school should have provided. Anyway, we believe you need a break from these surroundings for a while. You need to clear your head and…heal.." Melody Nishimura had said to her daughter while wrapping her knuckles in bandages that night. Her husband Shiro's voice boomed from the back room, a conversation with his mother still heated from the news of his daughter's expulsion from Hawaii Prep.

Shiro was livid about the bruises on his daughter's thighs that kept the pervert's parents from suing and that knowledge had also tinted his voice with a color of sadness. They had left the hospital a few hours ago, Aika hurting from bruises, self inflicted and wounds that were forced on her that she couldn't quite admit. Years of martial arts training didn't help her till the end, her body frozen like a deer in headlights while being overpowered and forced into a dirty janitor's closet. The rest was a hazy blur of hands, a mouth that tasted of day drinking, and a lot of pain. She bit his lip when he kissed her and received a punch to the temple that caused stars to dance across her vision. She punched at muscles and bit flesh only to feel a fist that could hit harder than her own. Aika cried out only for a hand to force her silent even while she drew blood with her teeth.

She remembered being forced onto her stomach and her hands pulled behind her, calloused hands groped skin and knees being pushed into her stomach. Something kept hitting her back and arms and her neck had fingers around it at one point. She remembered someone fumbling with her skirt then she heard cursing near her ear while tears blurred her vision. She felt something tear inside her as he forced his way inside her with a grunt. It was brief because problems down below and Aika wanted to laugh or cry at him.

Aika had felt weak for the first time in her life and it terrified her.

It was when he spat on her as he stood to leave that she felt back in control of her body. Rage filled her and she grabbed his hand to pull him on to the floor. Aika forced his right arm behind him, the arm that threw so many pig skins across the field and held her down, put the force of her pain and anger into her kick.

The crack that sounded the air was glorious.

Her body screamed in pain but his screams were louder.

Aika had wanted him to hurt as much as she was and she made sure he did. However Jake Hudson was rich and the star quarterback so it ended up being his words against hers to the teachers. They believed she started a fight, jealous of Jake and had broken his arm. That is until a shaking Aika had pointed out the drying mess that stained her skirt, blood had stained white stockings the red of truth. Her knuckles were split open from the scuffle and bruises dotted her skin. However the girl was expelled to ensure the football player could continue his games on the field and in the halls. At least the Hudson family paid her parents and the school off to hide everything. As an apology they also paid for her medical bills under the guise of a "generous benefactor".

Jake was given detention and benched for a few games while his arm healed. Aika was shipped off to another country with fading bruises and new scars on her mind.

She could still taste his blood in her nightmares.

A few weeks later Aika found herself under the watchful eye of Eri Nishimura, a quiet old woman who smelled like cherry blossoms and peppermint. She was an intimidating old woman who had traces of the muscles of her youth. Having spent her life playing volleyball and practicing karate, even at the age of 60 she could still move quickly and soon had a regime for Aika to live under. The month long break from school might have been for healing but Eri wanted to make sure her granddaughter was protected in case of another assault. However her first concern was on Aika's academics something that had slowly dropped as the girl's attention went to karate and fighting new opponents.

"These are the highest rated schools nearby. Most of them have good volleyball teams that you can join or you can find another sport to learn. Regardless while you live here you will train your body and mind in different ways, understand?" Eri had said while Aika was resting from the flight, a stack of school books in her hand. A small stack of pamphlets rested on top, one brightly announcing Aobajoshi High against an aqua background. Behind the desk was a small window with sunlight blocking curtains that matched the blue and purple color of the décor.

The older woman placed them on the desk near the door and frowned at the dark room, Aika sat huddled on her futon in a corner . The room was filled with boxes but Aika's furniture hadn't yet arrived. A book lay forgotten in her lap as she stared off into space, angry tears filling her eyes. Eri said nothing else as she picked up the books again and placed them closer to her granddaughter. She patted the girl's curls, Eri ignored the slight flinch against her hand, then walked out with more worry lines etched across her forehead.

Aika passed most of the entrance exams sometime later, bags lined her eyes from sleepless nights spent studying to escape nightmares and days spent calming her mind with karate. She chose Karasuno since it was close enough to walk or bike to from her grandmother's small house though her father would have preferred for her to attend Nekoma, his old school, instead.

Once Aika was enrolled in school, Eri began to make her run through the nearby streets at dawn to become used to her surroundings then again in the afternoons for stamina. She graduated from using a punching bag to attacking rope wrapped around a tree, methodically practicing moves that she wasn't able to use when she needed it. She refused to make that mistake again. Karate filled her days mixed in with yoga, meditation and studying until Eri decided Aika was ready to attend school once more.

Eri presented her with the uniform of Karasuno high along with a pair of fingerless gloves, red and dotted with a pair of Ravens with outspread wings, perfect for hiding bruised knuckles. Hanging from the uniform was a pair of black thigh high socks, far from the pure white of her old school. White birds formed a border around the edge of the socks.

"Keep your head up, sweetie." Eri had said that morning as prepared to leave while handing the girl the wrapped bento Aika had made the night before. Aika placed it into her bag and put her headphones around her neck, soft violin music playing from her cellphone. She had always loved music though she was horrible at playing most instruments. She did enjoy ballet and spent her time learning to dance in between karate practice.

Aika slowly walked to the nearest convenience store, her tired mind craved caffeine since Eri was limiting her calorie intake. Her new diet cut out most sweets as well the sugar filled cola that was her weakness. Her love for junk food was what kept her curves somewhat fluffy as her grandmother called it. The soda ban was to help her lose those last few pounds but it made her cranky to go without the addicting nature of caffeine in the morning. It didn't help that there was a lack of Starbucks nearby.

Luckily she had become used to the friendly blond man named Ukai who worked there from her morning jogs past the store every morning as he was opening up. He looked rough around the edges but didn't mind talking to her whenever she stopped in and had even begun tossing her a protein bar when she ran in the afternoons.

Aika frowned at the drink selection in the vending machines when she overheard Ukai yell at a passerby to eat a decent meal for breakfast.

'He doesn't look like he would be such a caring guy' The girl thought as her fingers tapped the button for iced coffee.

"Yeah, yeah coach." A deep voice said slowly as Aika straightened and popped open the can of coffee. She turned and almost walked into the person standing behind her, a tall blond wearing glasses and a condescending look. He towered over her and stared at her with a smirk, his eyes slid quickly up her form to look into her eyes. His eyes were almost golden behind his glasses.

"Pretty…"Aika thought her heart hammering in her chest for a brief moment. She sputtered out an apology and bowed before moving out of his way. She leaned against the window and sipped her coffee, glad she had gotten up early to leave for school so she could take her time with the walk.

It felt like a weird time to start a new school three months after it has began.

"Hey, are you new around here?."A voice asked and Aika looked up to see the blonde boy's equally tall friend standing near her. He spoke slowly as if to help her understand his Japanese and Aika didn't know if she wanted to smile or sigh at him. So much for the plan of keeping others away.

"Yes, I moved here last month. Today is my first day at Karasuno." Aika said quickly then smiled, "I'm Nishimura Aika, a second year."

"You're short for a second year. Shouldn't you be drinking milk instead of coffee?" The blond one said a cocky smile on his face. His eyes trailed over her once more and Aika couldn't breathe for a few minutes. Her fingers tightened on her coffee and she didn't know if it was fear or something else that caused her heart to pound against her rib cage.

"Tsukki…I'm sorry Nishimura-san." His friend said frowning at the blond who just smirked back at him.

"I would rather not be a beanstalk like you…."She trailed off with a blush then grinned at the other boy,

"It's fine."

"Yamaguchi Tadashi." The boy said with a smile. His friend stared at Aika for a few more minutes then glanced back at his drink.

"Tsukishima Kei." He mumbled before taking a sip, soft pink tinting his cheeks.

"Tsukki is shy. We're both first years but would you like to walk to school with us?" Yamaguchi said with a grin at his friend.

"Stop it Tadashi…" Tsukishima said and put his headphones back on with a sigh.

Aika fidgeted with her coffee nervously and tried not to remember the last time she was alone with a boy her age when Ukai spoke up.

"They're good kids even if the blond one looks scary. You'll be fine." He took a drag off his cigarette and winked at her and she smiled in spite the fear. .

"Sure. Thank you for the invitation." Aika said brown fingers clenched around the strap of her messenger bag.

"This way, sometimes we meet up with our friends Kagayama and Hinata in the mornings so you might get to meet them as well."

Tsukishima snorts, "Does she really need to meet the Great king and the shrimp?"

"They are our friends, Tsukki."

"They are annoying." Tsukishima rolled his eyes at his friend. Their easy friendship was clear to see and Aika smiled at their quiet banter. Even if she was nervous about attending a new school, it was nice to have meet some people who didn't seem to be that strange.

Her apprehension soon gave way to a little joy when Aika found herself laughing along with Yamaguchi's stories with Tsukishima quietly denying them. Sometimes a rare laugh would slip Tsukishima's lips when Yamaguchi talked about the antics of their volleyball team. Aika told them a little about herself and her former life in Hawaii though she avoided the subject of why she left.

The two reassured her that the school was nice and filled with nice students , though Tsukishima seemed to be either indifferent or condescending of his peers.

"Oh! Tsukki mentioned that he had seen a redhead running at dawn during his morning run. You two live in the same neighborhood."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at Yamaguchi, "She lives in the house next door…"

Aika frowned at this information. While she had spent a few days inside, she began running when her grandmother quietly insisted that she get out of the house for some fresh air. However she usually ran in the early morning or late afternoon when there were fewer people about. She knew that a family lived next door but hadn't really noticed any one her age going about. Though she had wondered who lived in the room across from her.

"He can walk you home sometimes after practice so you don't get lost!" Yamaguchi said as they entered the school.

"Thanks but I don't think you should offer someone else's services with out their input." Aika said with a laugh.

To her surprise the blond just shrugged and tugged on his headphone cord, "Its fine if you don't mind waiting till practice is over…"

"Ah…okay then. Um Thank you Tsukishima-San. You too Yamaguchi-San." She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. The taller boy seemed equally embarrassed and shrugged before stopping in front of a door.

"Whatever…this is the principal's office. Meet us at the second gym after school. You can watch the practice of you want." Tsukishima walked off while Yamaguchi waved goodbye then ran off to talk with two boys.

Aika stared at the boy's back then headed inside to get her schedule and to tour the school.

Most of the school day was uneventful, as the new girl Aika was introduced then seated in the back with another boy with the suffix Nishi in his name. She was stared at for a short time but was ignored by most of her classmates and the teachers.

Though she found her classes interesting and enjoyed learning, especially Japanese history, she still felt ostracized by the other's in her class. The lecture she was given by the vice-principal about keeping out of trouble had soured her morning and it didn't seem like it was going to get better.

"I want to go home…" Aika said under her breath as wandered the halls to find somewhere to eat her lunch. Eating in the classroom was lonely and reminded her of eating lunch with her friends back home.

Something hit the top of her head and she looked up to see Tsukishima lifting his bento up from her hair. He nodded towards a stairwell and walked off. Aika sighed then warily followed him up to the roof. The blond propped open the door with a brick and sat near the fenced edge, his lunch unwrapped on his lap.

"How did you find me?" Aika asked as she sat beside the boy and unwrapped her bento on her lap. She felt a blush tint her cheeks as Tsukishima glanced at the bubble bee shape of the Onigiri and chicken sausage cut to resemble octopi. The rolled egg, fruit and salad mere all made to her grandmother's liking and dietary restrictions. It didn't help that her bento box was extremely pink though the wrap was black with a pink Sakura design on it.

'She likes cute things. Hmm.' He laughed softly causing the girl's blush to deepen.

"Yams told me where you were. He passed you in the hall earlier." Tsukishima blinked when she held out her chopsticks with a rolled egg out to him.

"Well thanks for finding me. A token of my gratitude to my adorable kohai." She grinned then gasped when he grabbed her wrist to slowly put his mouth around the egg. Keeping his eyes on Aika's hazel ones, Tsukishima slowly chewed and swallowed then leisurely licked his lips. . He wanted to laugh at the blush that tinted her brown skin when she jerked away to eat her fruit.

'Hm…this will be fun…'

"Not bad, Aika-senpai. I figured someone your height would be a horrible cook since you can't reach the counter." He smirked then opened his own meal, "Remember to eat your veggies, senpai. You're still growing after all."

The girl laughed at his words even though the dig at her height stung a little.

"That's the thanks I get for sharing. So cold, Tsu-chan."Aika grinned at his glare and took a bite out of her onigiri, a moan escaped her lips from the taste of spices. She tried not to think about the way he said senpai or her name just then. It was still mocking but not the mocking that made her fear Jake, but a sly teasing that made her want to tease him back.

'Let's not think about that.'

The roof was warm and a gentle breeze floated past them. Aika was grateful that he picked a wide open area though the privacy both annoyed and thrilled her. She felt nervous yet aware of Tsukishima

, from the quiet sound of his MP3 player to the warmth of his arm through his uniform.

"I figured you would be eating with Yamaguchi" she said softly.

Tsukishima coughed, his face turned away though a slight blush tinted his cheeks, 'Strange…'

"He wanted to eat with the great king and the shrimp and I didn't feel like listening to them. You seem quieter."

"I can be loud if you want…" She mumbled around fruit and rolled her eyes at the tiny smirk he sent down at her.

Aika just continued to eat her onigiri when Tsukishima dropped a piece of his fried chicken on to her plate.

"Aw…Tsukishima."

"Shut up, its just payment…"

Aika popped the nugget into her mouth and sighed from happiness, oblivious to the fidgeting from her new friend beside her. Her fried food intake had been lacking for the past month Eri preferring baked foods and healthy proteins. She had mostly eaten salads and the other healthy meals she was served.

"Oh…you can call me Ai. All my friends back home did but I will stop calling you Tsu-chan if you want. I just heard Yamaguchi call you something like that." The words came out in a nervous rush that Aika didn't expect.

"It's fine, Ai-senpai. " Tsukishima tested the name out slowly, lips quirked.

Aika felt goosebumps on her skin, like the ghosts of fingertips, and had to look away.

Once done eating, Aika sighed and laid her head on Tsukishima's shoulder while she tugged her iPhone out of her pocket to check the time. He raised an eyebrow then sighed softly when he smelled the black vanilla scent of her shampoo. It was nice in a way he couldn't quite name just yet.

"She smells good…"he thought before Aika stood up quickly, her skirt flared with the movement and gave him brief glimpse of brown thigh and something lacy and purple.

"Time to go, Tsu-chan. I'll see you after school." She said as she spun to face him, grey skirt teased him with the brush against her legs and he quickly looked up towards her face. She looked down at him which he found funny considering her height. She was 4'9 at best though the thigh highs made her legs look longer.

He groaned in annoyance mixed with fresh desire. It was low and made his voice a deep growl when he spoke again.

"Yeah." He said a blank look on his face though his mind had gone somewhere else.

Aika grinned then paused with a strange look on her face. Her left foot tapped the ground and she stepped just a little closer to him. Tsukishima was about to to make a snarky comment about her forgetting the way when she leaned down and kissed his cheek.

It was quick and she left the smell of black vanilla and strawberries in her wake as she ran down the stairs. Tsukishima sat in silence for a few minutes before he put his headphones on and made his way back to his own classroom.

He had something to think about now.

"Ai-senpai…"

Aika made her way towards the second gymnasium after classes, her mind more on her own actions from lunch then on the previous classes. She hadn't like being touched for the past month after the incident and now she was kissing the cheek of her underclassmen. Even if the boy was hot it was still strange though the brief moments were he seemed out of control were another matter that pooled in her lower stomach in a way she hadn't felt in a while.

His voice was hot. He was hot. It bothered her that she was already crushing on someone after a day though it was a relatively new sensation for the awkward girl. Back at home she had been clumsy and shy until she started practicing karate. Her mother let her get lessons in gymnastics and ballet which helped her make friends and get over her awkwardness somewhat. Yet now she felt like an awkward child again.

"Oh you came! Tsukki will be happy to see you." Yamaguchi smiled from near the door when she got closer, "how was your first day Aika-senpai?"

"its been…rough but it's gotten better…" Aika trailed off her eyes falling on the sight of Tsukishima in his uniform. He stretched slowly as he warmed up and any coherent thought died upon sight.

"I'm sure…" Yamaguchi laughed softly and led Aika over to the first and second years, where Tsukishima stretched and talked to four other boys : shirtless bald guy, the nishi guy from her class, a short orange haired guy and an intense kid with black hair. Aika paused at the sight of a shirtless male but Yamaguchi nudged her forward gently and caused her to twitch.

"Tsukki. Aika-senpai came to watch you play!" The black haired boy said as he pushed the struggling girl towards them only for her to trip and land in front of Tsukishima. He was stretching his back and arms on the floor, long fingers wrapped around his shoes. He tilted his head at her.

"Ow…hey Tsu-chan."

"Hello Ai-senpai." There was that weird sound to his voice again and Aika blushed as she set up on her knees realizing how close she was to the boy. Yep there was the smirk. She stood up and dusted off her skirt, sending Yamaguchi a glare that died upon seeing the boy's happy smile.

"Sorry, Aika-senpai. It was an accident."

Tsukishima stood up after her, his glare managing to stay which only caused Yamaguchi to grin even more.

"Your hair is really …poufy. It's like a cloud." The orange haired kid said knocking over Tsukishima as he stood in front of her. Even the shortest first year was taller than Aika, it annoyed her a bit.

The boy reached up to touch her hair but Tsukishima grabbed his hand and yanked his arms up until he was on his tiptoes

"Ow ow ow. Baka Tsukishima…" he said when the blond let him go with a glare.

"It's rude to touch someone without asking." He said before he went over to Coach Ukai.

"It's fine. That was…odd. I'm Nishimura Aika. I'm a second year." Aika said sheepishly. She wondered if she should apologize for someone that she barely knew but it seemed as if the boy was used to Tsukishima being mean.

"I am Hinata Souyo. The grumpy black haired guy is Kagayama Tobio. We are first years like Yamaguchi." He said rubbing his armpits. Kagayama nodded while tossing a volleyball into the air.

"Ah nice to meet you both." Aika grinned then froze when she noticed the hot bald guy and the guy with a blond spike in his hair were staring at her.

"Why is a hot second year visiting Tsukishima!? Are you his fan?" The bald one said as he walked closer.

He introduced himself as Tanaka Ryunosuke and his friend as Nishinoya Yuu.

Aria blinked at the question, blushing when Tsukishima returned from talking to the coach to stand behind her.

"Oh? Are you a fan of mine, Ai-senpai? He said as he bent down close to her ear. Aika rubbed the back of her neck and looked away.

"I barely know you…"Aika felt the briefest instance of his broad chest against her back and stepped away quickly.

"I think I am a fan of Tsukki-san. But I also came here to watch volleyball. Coach Ukai said he was coaching a team and my dad said that Karasuno used to be one of the top schools. So I wanted to see you all play."

The smile she gave the others was friendly but the look she gave Tsukishima was wicked.

"I guess you can say I wanted to see how good you are…" Aika said quietly before she turned to walk towards the stands. She paused and slid a finger up Tsukishima's muscled arm.

"Good luck, Tsukki-chan.."

Tsukishima swallowed hard and frowned at the court. For some strange reason he felt like he should play his best. He walked towards the court to begin practicing receives, hyper aware of his own movements.

The boys seemed to enjoy playing against one another and Yamaguchi motioned Aika down to sit near the coach, Takeda-sensei and the club manager a pretty third year named Shimizu. Aika had forgotten how much she loved watching an intense game, her mind going back to her childhood with the few friends she had made in japan.

It didn't help that all of the guys playing on the Karasuno team were attractive. Yamaguchi had introduced everyone to Aika before they began and she found the third years were just as nice as the rest of the team. However she found herself watching Tsukishima the most, imprinting the sight of him sweating into her memory banks. She even snapped a picture of him taking a sip of water, his eyes glancing her way from the side.

"That's so my new wallpaper…" She murmured after the practice was over. She had helped the club clean up then wandered outside to wait for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi to get changed.

"You stayed! Did you enjoy seeing my awesome moves?" Nishinoya said landing beside her from running down the steps. Aika glanced up at him and slipped her phone into her bag.

"The rolling thunder? It was pretty cool. You are an awesome libero." She said and blinked when the boy blushed and rubbed his neck.

"Ha ha stop it. For saying that I will buy you ice cream!"

Aika laughed and shook her head, "It's fine. I can't really eat sweets right now…"

"But…everyone needs to have something tasty every now and then!" Nishinoya insisted and Aika laughed his earnest expression.

Aika was about to protest further when Tsukishima and Yamaguchi appeared from the stairwell, the other first years and Tanaka behind them.

"Are you ready, Ai-senpai?" Tsukishima said quietly, a frown on his face as he looked from Nishinoya to Aika. Nishinoya crossed his hands behind his head and grinned. Night air was filled with the loud chatter of teenagers, Tanaka cracking jokes with Nishinoya while Hinata argued with Kagayama

"Keep complimenting me and I will buy you ice cream some day, Nishimura-san." He said as he walked beside the girl, "You must really like volleyball?"

"My grandfather and father played back when they were at school and got me into it. I'm not sure if I am going to join the team here yet though."

"Did you play in middle school?" Hinata asks while pushing his bike next to Kagayama.

"Yes though I was more into Karate and spent my spare time training." Aika grinned at Nishinoya, "I played libero for a little while."

The excitement on his face grew and the boy hugged her tightly. Aika froze and gritted her teeth to keep from throwing the boy off of her. She exhaled softly and untangled herself from his limbs to move to the side a little.

"It's cool to meet another libero. I hope we can become friends." She said quickly to cover up her discomfort. Nishinoya grinned and nodded, bouncing over to talk with Tanaka.

Once at the end of the hill, Aika said goodnight to the others and made her way into the direction of her grandmother's home, Tsukishima falling into step beside her.

"Your friends are interesting." Aika said as they walked.

"Annoying is the proper word." Tsukishima grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"Whatever, I think you guys have gotten close and you don't want to admit it."

Tsukishima shrugged, " if that's what you want to think. They are a loud bunch but are less annoying them some people I know."

"I feel like you are trying to compliment them. Good job."

"So…are you going to join the volleyball team here? It just seems like you run a lot…" Tsukishima said as they turned onto their street. Aika stopped in front of her home, the lights on out front for her arrival.

"Maybe. I just enjoy running honestly. It's a good warm up."

The blond makes a noise of approval, " I can run with you in the mornings if you want. It isn't that safe for a woman to be alone that early."

Aika blinked up at the tall male who just smirked, "And you care why?"

"I really don't but you are so tiny that …someone could just carry you away…" Tsukishima stared down at her for a few moments then moved to walk to his house.

"Meet me out here at 4. Don't be late."

Aika hid her smile as she watched the boy walk towards his home, "Good night Tsukishima-san."

Aika ran up her driveway and into the house, laughing a little as she hopped over her grandmother's dog to put her shoes in the cubby. She called out to her grandparents who were reading in the living room before going up the stairs to her room.

Happy to see that her furniture had finally arrived and her bed was made and covered in her numerous stuffed animals and plushies, she opened the curtains and started change her clothes, shaking her long hair free from the band. Phone in hand she connects to her Bluetooth speaker, a soft mix of strings and the thump of bass filled the room. With a smile she spun through the bedroom, throwing off her uniform jacket and striping off her shirt. Aika danced along with the soft beat mixed with the strings of violin. Her body twirled and she leaped a few feet, landing with her arms outstretched.

Dancing made her happy in a way that fighting or playing sports couldn't. She danced for herself and for a little while forgot her troubles in the soft light of the moon.

At the end of the song she stood for a moment and stretched when she noticed movement outside the window. Another small window sat across from her and she met eyes with the rooms occupant. Tsukishima sat on his bed shirtless, his headphones on his ears as he stared directly at her, phone in hand.

"Oh…" Well that explained how he knew of her. Aika flushed and sank to the ground in embarrassment wondering how much she had shown him the past month. She normally kept the curtain closed but her grandmother had a habit of throwing it back open in the daytime to let sun in.

Tsukishima flicked a wave Aika's way when she popped up and scrambled towards the window, shirt clutched in front of her. With the curtain closed she missed him glance back down at his phone, a picture of her stretching in her bra and uniform skirt on the screen.

He quickly put the picture in a locked folder on his phone and covered his face with his arms.

"Fuck."


	2. Friendship

Chapter Two: Friendship

The sun was just rising over the horizon as Tsukishima waited outside Aika's house in a white shirt and shorts. The house had been quiet and he was glad to not have woken anyone up from his alarm that morning. The first few mornings he had woken up annoyed and ready to throw his phone. But as he spent more time with the girl alone he found himself enjoying their friendship. As he dressed he wondered when it had become routine to run with his new neighbor, but he wouldn't admit to anyone that he started looking forward to it. Tsukishima even slyly recommended that they switch their schedule to almost everyday under the guise of needing to build stamina for volleyball. Which wasn't a complete lie anyway. He supposed he liked hearing the girl chat happily about random subjects, her favorite being the newest anime she found tv or a new recipe that came out correctly. He also realized he liked seeing the drops of sweat slide down her neck and the way her running shorts slid up her thighs but he tried to not think about that as much.

Kei didn't know when the two had actually become friends in the past few weeks but Aika certainly considered him one. She started inviting him and Yamaguchi over for dinner and to study in the living room whenever they were free. He had even become used to stopping inside her home to say hello to her grandparents, though Kouji, her grandfather, was usually away at the dojo so they mostly saw him at dinner. Eri seemed to like him though and often made statements that hinted at her wanting him to visit more. He would just nod, unsure of what to say before following Aika to the backyard to either talk or toss a volleyball back and forth.

It was a nice sort of torture that kept him awake at night, confused and painfully hard. Dreams of brown skin and thigh high stockings happened every now and then and he hated and loved it.

The main problem was with their windows. Kei wasn't sure how much of a problem it was when the girl forgot her curtains were open and walked around in short shorts and a bra but the family seemed to be running out of tissues more often those days. He noticed that her body was toned in spite of the curve of her hips. Kei tried to be somewhat of a gentleman and not watch his friend but sometimes hormones took over and he couldn't help himself. Annoyed at her obliviousness, he found himself walking around shirtless a little more, just to see if she would notice and glance over his way.

Two could play that game.

Aika obviously noticed but the curtains stayed open regardless. Often she would glance up at the window and study him before covering her face in her hand or an object near by. The only times her curtains were closed were while they slept and those few instances on Saturday nights and Sunday when the room was dark all day after their run. Kei believed he was the only one who noticed the girl slip out of the window those nights in dark clothes and jog toward the city. He wanted to ask where she went but it felt strange to pry but new bruises kept appearing on her skin that caused an unsettling anger in his stomach.

It didn't help that she was slowly becoming more popular at school. While most stayed away from her due to the rumor of her breaking someone's arm at her previous school, Kei still noticed more people approaching her those days. She seemed to be annoyed at the attention but stayed polite, keeping herself at a distance. It bothered him that she was becoming closer to Nishinoya and Tanaka, easily talking with them about classes and training with Yuu so she could try out for the girl's volleyball team. Her body rolled and dove across the court with Nishinoya before many practices. Her eyes not on Tsukishima but on the balls that Asahi and Tanaka tossed to her and Yuu. She was short but strangely flexible in a way that reminded him of the Nekoma team, her body stretching or twisting to reach the ball in a way that seared into his brain. He had found the two Nishis talking more in the halls many days, Yuu's head leaned close to her as they talked. The older boy usually smiled him like they were sharing a private joke.

It was infuriating.

Tsukishima frowned at the thought of the Nishi pair, he knew why the two bothered him but he hadn't wanted to act on it until recently.

"Good morning…"Aika covered up her yawn with a hand, her auburn hair falling past her shoulders. She wore the same colors as him, an annoyingly tight white tank top, black shorts, long black socks and red and black running shoes. A red running belt held her iPhone and her headphones were clipped to her shirt. Her red gloves were present as always.

"Late night?" Tsukishima inquired as the girl stretched beside him and touched her toes. He noticed that bruises dotted her arms and legs that hadn't been there a few days ago. He watched as she fumbled with putting her hair up before answering his inquiry.

"You can say that. Why?"

Tsukishima shook his head and stretched beside her, "Are you busy today?"

Aika pondered this and stretched her arms while bending backwards, " Not today…"

"Then let's hang out." Tsukishima watched her stretch for a little while then prodded her side with a finger. Her jump made him grin but the way she winced made him pause.

Aika frowned and headed down the street with the blond soon beside her, "Do you want to meet Tadashi or something?"

Tsukishima shook his head, "Just the two of us if you are okay with that."

"Like a date? Are you asking me out Tsukki-chan?" Aika grinned up at him and dodged his swat with ease.

"Yeah I guess." He shrugged and hid his grin when the girl almost tripped on nothing and stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? Won't your fangirls get angry?"

Tsukishima rolled his eyes and tugged on her shirt to get her to turn a corner ,"I don't have fangirls…."

Her laughter in response annoyed him. As if these imaginary fangirls were keeping them apart and not short guys with tons of energy.

He stopped and grabbed her wrist so she was facing him, "Do you want to come over or not?"

"Yes." Aika said as she looked into his eyes.. He was suddenly serious and somewhat intense. His hand was warm against her wrist but the grip was loose. She could break free if she wanted.

"Okay then." He smirked and began to run faster, "Come on chibi-Ai we still have miles to go."

Kei's heart pounded in his chest, yet he felt happy which was an odd feeling that warred with his normal indifference. They made plans to meet at his place after they changed and soon lost their thoughts in running, nerves fueling adrenaline to make their run go a little faster that day.

An hour later, Aika found herself nervously standing in front of Kei's bedroom door, a place she had seen only from her window. She has spent time in the living room and backyard but mostly invited Kei over since she was more comfortable in her own home. Being in his house alone was a completely different story.

"It's just Tsukki…he won't hurt you." She is whispered to herself.

She fumbled with the ends of the shirt she wore and wished she had put on pants that covered the bruises and scars on her legs. In her hands she held a small strawberry shortcake and a few dvds that she found interesting. She shifted the items to knock on the door. He opened and stared down at her before shaking his head.

"You didn't have to bring anything you know." Kei said taking the cake box from her and setting it on the table. He left the door partially open so he could hear when his mother arrived home and motioned for her to sit on the bed where his laptop sat.

"I'm a guest so it's polite. I made it yesterday and wanted to get rid of it so it's no big deal." Aika lied not wanting to tell him she had made it for him.

"Oh…well I guess I will eat it then." He sat behind her on the bed, and reached around her to pull up Netflix on the laptop. Aika tensed when he leaned forward, his chin on her shoulder to look at the selection.

Aika found herself staring at the long line of Kei's arm, long fingers clicking the down button to switch genres to choose a cheesy horror flick. His breath tickled her ear, his hair still damp from a shower smelled like mint. His hand brushed her waist then settled there, a finger grazing bare skin. Aika swore she felt lips move against her neck and the graze of teeth on her earlobe.

"What are you…"She said softly on to have him gesture towards the screen.

"Watch the movie. Tell me if this …bothers you in anyway and I will stop." He breathed against her skin when she shifted backwards into him.

"Ah…okay…" She sighed and turned in his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. He quirked and eyebrow and she frowned at him.

"I can't help myself Ai-senpai…"Tsukishima's words fall silent when the girl kisses him tentatively, a gentle brush of her lips against his. She pulled away and leaned her forehead against his, lips softly touching as she spoke.

"It's fine…I like it. I like you.."

Tsukishima just groaned and kissed again, harder this time, tongue licking out to ask for entrance and hands pressing hips closer and harder into him. Strong fingers hold her hips and press down on new bruises while he explores her mouth and her throat. He kissed her neck then sucked at the spot, a laugh slipped from between his lips when she shifted against him with a moan. He grinned up at her wickedly and she kissed him again, wanting to remember his taste, cinnamon toothpaste and sin. Her fingers intertwine in his hair and he leaned backwards to fall back onto the bed without leaving her mouth.

Tsukishima made her dizzy with a confusing mix of lust and apprehension. He alternated between kissing her gently enough to make her want to weep to hard enough to bruise lips red.He pulled back and stared up at her with lidded eyes before he rolled over on top of her. His fingers grasped at her legs and pulled them around his waist, pressing down on to hers.

Tsukishima sat up and placed her hands under his shirt before he pulled it off, his trademark smirk appearing when she slid her hands up his chest. He had felt he was skinny compared to some of the other guys on the team but the way she looked up at him, teeth chewing on her full lower lips pushed the thought from his mind. He kissed her till she was breathless once more then kissed a path down her neck. His kisses slowed when he felt her jerk against him, eyes water filled though still filled with lust.

He sighed against her neck, "Damnit…"

Aika felt him throb against her and flushed at the look he gave her before he shifted to lay beside her. When she moved to look at him he just reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek. She hadn't known she was crying.

Tsukishima stared at her then brushed her hair away from her face.

"I will be gone in a few weeks for training camp. I just …." He ran a hand through his hair and frowned.

"Golden week practice camp, right? You'll have fun." She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand then leaned against his bare shoulder, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to talk about it. I don't care." He wanted to, just to figure out why she drew close then pushed him away.

She quirked an eyebrow at him then glanced down, "I think you do…"

"Don't….I just wanted to see where we…I stood…" He groans when she shifts closer to him, her face buried in his chest before she started to speak. It came out in a rush but it was quieter than when she normally spoke..

"At my old school…someone assaulted me. It's part of the reason why I was expelled. In response to what happened I broke his arm which was more apparently important then…my safety to the faculty." Aika exhaled and explained what she remembered about the attack. How she tried to fight back but was overpowered and beat to prove a point of strength. How she remembered the clink of a belt in buckling and her face being pushed into the ground. What blood and dirt tasted like mixed with tears.

When she explained how he couldn't get it up Tsukishima laughed though his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other a balled up fist. When she finished the story Aika felt lighter yet numb, conflicted about her experience.

"I'm sorry." Tsukishima said softly. He looked angry though she knew it wasn't at her.

"It's fine. I'm working on things." Aika took his hand and smiled, "You are helping…this is helping. I enjoyed it a lot actually. Things just went…too fast."

Tsukishima smirked, "We can go slow if you want…"

"Do I want to know?" Aika warily said, eyebrow raised skeptically. He laughed and mimicked her facial expression, his more seductive and cocky then skeptical.

"You will..." Tsukishima sat up and reached for his laptop, clicking off Netflix and changing to his music player. Soft music filled the room and he laid back down beside her. A comfortable calm filled the room that Aika was grateful for.

"Can I come see your game against Nekoma?" She asked after a while, her hand reached up to pull off Kei's glasses and set them on the bedside table.

"Are you a secret Nekoma fan? Going to cheer for our rivals, Ai-senpai?" Tsukishima smirked then moaned when Aika kissed his neck slowly.

"Maybe…" Aika kissed his adam's apple and nipped at his skin, slowly sucking on the right side of his neck like he had done her left. Satisfied at the mark she leaned up to kiss his jawline.

"What are you doing?" Tsukishima gasped out when she trailed up to kiss his earlobe then suck it into her mouth.

"I think…I am working on things…"She laughed when the blond boy pulled her down into a kiss, licking her full lips.

"Yeah you are…"Tsukishima slowly pulled away and stood up, a hand dropping down to shift his pants a little.

"Aww…"

He snorted a laugh then puts on his glasses, "I am going to make tea and get plates. Do you want actual food?"

Aika sat up slowly, "I might have take you up on that offer later. I have to head home before it gets dark today though."

Tsukishima didn't miss the way she looked at her phone while saying that and sighed.

"Be careful." He dropped a kiss on her forehead, so quick that Aika wasn't sure if it actually happened.

He walked away and grabbed his headphones from the side table as he went, leaving Aika to to glance at the text message app.

Ignoring the one that said Kuro-Neko-kun, she quietly read the one from T.K.

"Next round is at 9. $400 in the pot."

'Yeah. I will b there. Let's get this done quickly, I have school tomorrow.'

After closing that message she glanced at the one from Kuroo-Neko and replied with an annoyed glare before checking her email. When she saw the one she wanted she yelled happily, a noise that startled Tsukishima as he walked in.

"Are you dying?" He said handing her a cup of tea and a piece of the cake.

"Oh yeah…I have a job interview tomorrow afternoon so I will have to head in early tonight."

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow and sipped his tea, "Congrats, where is the job?"

"Some stupid café that just opened nearby. A girl from class asked if I wanted to fill out an application since they need more servers." She sipped her tea slowly then set the cup down.

"So you won't be watching our practice anymore? Not that I mind, you're really loud." Tsukishima laughed when she glared at him.

"I was going to only work a few shifts but I might change my availability now…"Aika huffed until he poked her cheek.

" Kidding. If you get the job I will …get you a surprise, I guess."

"Okay then…if you do well at camp and win against Nekoma, I will …do whatever you want…"

Aika rolled her eyes at his grin, "With limits of course."

"Of course, Ai-senpai…" The way he said it made her shiver.

"Whatever," she stood and kissed his cheek, "You will still have to win though."

"It's a deal." He followed her to the doorway and watched her walk away when a text message buzzed on his phone.

Chibi- Ai : "Hey, lets go out on a real date next time. I pick the place but for now concentrate on winning. ~ 3"

"Sure." He typed back and swiped to his pictures folder. He needed a cold shower.

At 8 on the dot, Aika listened for the quiet sounds of her grandparents' snores before she slipped out of her pajamas and into a pair of black yoga pants, sports bra, a red t-shirt that was tight in her body and a form fitting black hoodie. Yanking on her gloves and her lace-less black and red sneakers she slid open the window and stared at Tsukishima's until she was certain there was no movement.

Glad that she had moved her bed to under the window and her desk behind it she pulls up the rope she hid underneath and drops it outside. She stuffs the bed to look like she was still sleeping and grabbed her phone and headphones, stuffing them into her running belt. Carefully checking underneath to see if anyone was on the covered deck below she climbs outside then inches her way down the rope. Once on the ground she tucks it so it was hidden away and calmly walked down the street out of the neighborhood.

Fifteen minutes later she was in the neighboring city, running down past different store fronts until she reached a dingy looking door in the side of a nightclub. After tapping a rhythm into the metal a tiny window slid open and an squinting eye peered out at her.

"Password?" A gruff voice said coughing loudly.

Aika frowned, "Lee it's me. Let me in."

"Black Tiger, you know the rules. Also code names please."

"I protest my codename on the the grounds that it's racist, Iron Fist-San." She rolled her eyes.

"Password,"

"Fucking A, Spirit gun, happy?"

The door slid open to reveal a short guy with spikes green hair and a bare chest covered in tattoos. He jumped down from the stool and grinned.

"Wasn't sure you were going to make it. You and Black Dragon are on soon."

"I still say these names are racist but whatever, lets do this." Aika slipped on her headphones and walked towards the cage in the middle of the room. The floor was sticky from filled drinks and sweat and the room was occupied by a small crowd of people who were currently watching two men punch on another. Aika stopped near the door where a tall teen stretched.

He was dressed in black as well with a gold shirt that had a black dragon on the front and black workout pants and black and gold shoes. His black hair was spiked into a Mohawk streaked with red and his eyes were the same hazel as Aika's. He was muscled and a pair of dragons snaked down his large arms.

"So you showed kitten, I figured you were going to stay with your man." The older teen said grinning as the girl stretched her arms and legs.

"He isn't my man…"Aika frowned unsure if that was still true at the current moment.

"The hickie on your neck says otherwise. Good to see you are getting better cousin."

"Shut up Takeru I would have been better if I could have skipped tonight. I have to run at 4 and school in the morning."

"You will be fine. This is our last match until a few weeks, so just make sure you win."

Aika tugged off her headphones and smirked at her cousin, "Don't I always?"

"Tiger and Dragon, you guys are up!" The referee said just as the music changed to a loud dubstep song. Aika bumped fists with Takeru and handed her jacket and running belt to his roommate, Nikki, a nice cross dresser who could beat up most of the guys in the room and wouldn't let her stuff get stolen. Takeru passed Nikki his jacket and the two walk into the ring, wincing as the crowd screamed in response.

" In this corner we have the Black team, Tiger and Dragon, our resident champions. Tonight are challengers are called the Blue team, Bull and Snake!" Ji the referee yelled into his mic as two men walk up, muscles rippled under the lights.

They were bigger than Aika and Takeru built for strength not speed. Aika doubted that she would be able to take them, her heart hammering in her chest. The bell chimed and her heart slowed down as she focused, hands snapped up to block a punch to her face.

"Breathe." She pushed Snake's arm away with her hands, twisting to kick him in the side. When he grabbed her foot she twisted around to snap her foot away and fall on all fours, swinging her body around to kick his legs from under him.

She could hear the slap of flesh hitting flesh as Takeru punched the man behind her but her eyes were on Snake, dodging the mans punches in time to Lindsey Sterling's 'Anti-Gravity' that played in the background. She twirled while jumping in the air, her foot hitting his face before she landed back down with her toes pointed.

She wasn't fast enough to dodge the hard punch to her stomach or the one that hit her cheek but the blood in her mouth made her angry. Her fist lashed out hard against his neck, then again to his nose, causing it to erupt with blood. She smiled noting that her punches were harder then they used to be.

"That felt good…' She thought smiling almost as good as kissing Tsukishima had been.

He growled in anger and charged once more and Aika side-stepped him when the beat changed to kick him from behind into the cage wall.

"Stop playing." Takeru said as he flipped the man called Bull over his shoulder to get him to the ground. He held the man in an armbar pulling down until the large man cried refusing to tap.

"Right."Aika shifted her feet as the man sat up and turned towards her. Her foot connected with his chin when she jumped up and when she landed she punched him as hard as she could in the chin. While he staggered to stay up right, she punched him twice in the solar plexus. He fell gasping for breath just as Bull tapped Takeru's leg for release.

The ref checks both opponents then raises up Takeru and Aika's arm, the short girl lifted up in the air slightly to the delight of the crowd.

"The winners are Tiger and Dragon! Let's hear it for the black team!" The crowd cheers and Aika helped Snake get up after Bull dumped water on them. The teams shook hands and Takeru and Aika for their things from Nikki to go collect their winnings.

After pocketing 200 dollars, Aika heads towards home, declining a ride all the way on Takeru's motorcycle but begrudgingly allowing him to drive her close to the neighborhood to drop her off.

"Next fight is in a few weeks. I'll text you then. Train hard and study or Oba-San will keep saying you are turning out like me." Takeru said as he took his helmet from her.

"Oh! I need a ride to the Nekoma, game next week. I figured you would like to see your old team play against my school."

Takeru nodded, "That's cool and I get to check out your new boy toy, see if he is up to my standards. Put some ice on that cheek and get to bed."

"It's just eleven and it will be fine. Thanks T.K."

"Love ya, kitten." Takeru blowed an exaggerated kiss her way and Aika laughed as the boy slipped on his helmet and rode way.

She had just gotten back in her room and into her pajamas when her phone chimed, the screen lighting up with the name Kei.

"Go to bed, Ai-senpai. Older people need their rest. See you at dawn."

"So do you. Goodnight, Kei." Aika looks at Tsukishima's window to see his face illuminated by his phone and falls backwards on the bed.

For once she didn't have nightmares, only dreams of blond hair and hands that trailed her skin.


End file.
